Tropical Storm Don strengthened over the Central Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Don was located at latitude 33.9°N and longitude 40.9°W which put it about 825 miles (1330 km) west-southwest of the Azores. Don was moving toward the west at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.

Tropical Storm Don strengthened on Wednesday night as it continued to make a big clockwise loop over the Central Atlantic Ocean west of the Azores. Don looked more like a tropical storm on satellite images. The shape of the cloud pattern was more circular. Thunderstorms formed along the inner end of a band just to the east of the center of Don’s circulation. Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Tropical Storm Don. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Don’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Don will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Don will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 25˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Tropical Storm Don will intensify during the next 24 hours.

Tropical Storm Don will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the northeastern Atlantic Ocean during the next 24 hours. The high pressure system will steer Don slowly toward the west. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Don will continue to make a big clockwise loop over the Central Atlantic west of the Azores.